Eyeshield for headgear



Aug; 19, 1947.

H. VACA EYESHI ELD FOR HEADGEAR Filed July 7, 1945 INVENTOR. humber/a l/dra Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,425,847 EYESHIELD FOR HEADGEAR Humberto Vaca, Detroit, Mich.

Application July '7, 1945, Serial No. 603,652

Claims.

This invention relates to eye shields for head gear and it has to do particularly with an attachment for a cap having incorporated therein or therewith a shield for the eyes of the wearer and which can be quickly and easily put into and out of use.

The invention is particularly directed towards the provision of an eye shield for a cap, or other head gear for that matter, whatever it may be called, for use, for example by one participating in athletic events. For example, a baseball player, and particularly an outfielder, requires the use of something to shield the eyes from the sun when in the act of catching what is known as a fly ball. At the present time, it is quite common for outfielders to use sun glasses.

It is the aim of the present invention to provide an improved shield which is attached to or might even form a part of the bill or visor of the cap. The shield and its attaching structure are mounted on the cap in such a manner that the shield folds against the underside of the visor when not in use. It is accordingly out of the way and not bothersome. By the simple ex,- pedient of tripping a latch, certain movements are given to the shield including a bodily movement relative to the visor of the cap and away from the face of the wearer and a pivotal movement so that the shield swings downwardly relative to the visor and before the eyes of the wearer.

A cap and shield structure made in accordance with the invention is disclosed in ing drawings.

Fig. 1 is a view showing the cap on a wearer and illustrating the shield in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a view of the underside of the visor with the shield folded into inoperative position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 illustrating the attaching and operating structure.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the shield in operating position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the attaching and operating structure for the shield showing the parts in operating position, and looking substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional .view taken on line 65-45 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7'! of Fig. 5 showing the track arrangement.

Fig. 8 is a detailed section on an enlarged scale taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 2 showing a hook arrangement for holding the shield in folded or inoperative position,

the accompany- As illustrated in Fig. 1, the cap has the usual body part I with a bill or visor 2 which usually is employed to shade the eyes of the wearer. The mounting for the shield is probably most clearly illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 and it comprises a plate 4 secured to the underside of the visor in a substantially central position and extending substantially from the body of the cap to the forward edge of the visor. This plate may be secured to the visor in any suitable manner, as for example by means of rivets 5. The edges of this plate are fashioned as at 6 for a portion of their length to provide grooves or track-ways for purposes as will presently appear. The bill is provided with an opening It and the metal of the plate is fashioned to provide a pair of spaced wings II which extend upwardly from the plate and into the opening I0. Mounted between the wings on a pivot pin I2 is a catch or latch. This latch has an upwardly extending finger piece I3 and a nose I 4. The latch is acted upon by a small coil spring I5 so that the nose I4 is urged downwardly and through an opening IS in the plate 4.

There is a slide plate 20 positioned to slide in the tracks or ways 6. This plate is acted upon by a coil spring 2 I, one end of which is attached to a lug 22 constituted by a piece of metal fashioned up from the plate 4 and fastened at its other end to a lug 23 on the slide plate. This is a tension spring and normally applies force on the slide plate to shift it outwardly towards the forward edge of the visor. Struck up from the plate 4 are one or more stops 25 against which the slide plate strike to limit its forward movement. These stops 25 may be coated with rubber or other similar material so as to provide a buffer action when the plate 2 0 strikes them.

The slide plate 20 is provided with an aperture 3% designed to receive the nose Id of the latch as will presently be seen. One end of the slide plate,

which is the left hand end as Figs. 5 and 6 are viewed,- is fashioned angularly to provide a stop 3!. The edges of the metal are fashioned into pintle bearings 32. The shield has a body 35, the contour of which may correspond to that of the visor and attached to the shield is a hinge butt 36 having bearing portions 31 which lie in between the pintle bearings 32, and a hinge pin 38 passes therethrough. Thus the shield is hingedly mounted on the slide plate. A coil spring 40 surrounds the hinge pin and has ends which engage the hinge butt and the side plate and this spring normally turns the shield in a clockwise direction as Figs. 4 and 6 are viewed to a position where it abuts the stop 3 I. The shield 35 is comprised of suitable colored material such as a cellulose or other plastic, or glass, or it may be a polarizing material for shielding the eyes from the sun.

The shield has a suitable number of holding devices in the form of hooks 4|, there being two shown in the present device, disposed adjacent the edges of the shield for hooking over the edge of the visor. The shield may also be provided with a notch or recessdZ which may, in instances, accommodate the nose of the user.

The manner of use and the function of the shield is as follows:

When the shield is to be placed out of use or in inoperative position, the wearer swings the shield on its pivot from the position shown in Fig. 1 to a position where the shield lies substantially flush on the underside of the visor. At this time the slide plate is in the position shown in Figs.

5 and 6 where the slide plate rests in a forward position-against the stops 25. After the shield hasbeen swung to its elevated position, it is pushed backward-1y causing the slide 29 to shift-in the ways: G-until the nose M of the latch catches in the-.apertu-rete. During thismovement the hooks 4i catchover the edge of the hilt-Accordingly, the-shieldis held in the inoperative position shown-in Fig. 3. of the: -t,ens io n spring 2|. The hooks restrain theaaction-of the spring Ml. 'When. in thisinoperative position the cap may be used and wornwi-thoutany substantial notice shield-.- An important feature is the quickness with. which the shield may be put intouse. The user merely tipsthe finger piece it and the spring 2| snaps; the slide 2!] forwardly to the position shown. in Fig; 6 where it is stopped by the stops 25. :In this forward sliding action of the shield the-hooks 4i arereleased from the edge of the visor anddue to the action of the spring ie, the shield-swingsto its operative or protecting position as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 6. The forward sliding action removes the shield from undue proximity to the eyes of the wearer andplaces it in aboutthe correct position. The precise angularityof the shield relative to the visor and the eyesof the, wearer when inoperative position, ,may be regula ed by the position of the stop 31.

I cl i 1. Angeye; shield for: use in conjunction with av visorzon .acap or the like comprising, a body piece attachedto atheundersidexof the visor, a, slide membenon the body piece and slida-ble forwardly andbackwardlyrhrelative to the; visor,-. sprin means acting upon the slide member normally urging it forward1y..;a. shieldmember pivotally mounted on the slidememberand movable onits pivot-.so as to .extenddownwardlyfrom.the visor and beforethe eyes of the wearerin operative position and to an inoperative positionin prox imity=to the .undersideof the. visor and genera ly.

parallel therewith, a latch for holding the slide memberin its rearward position, andmeans for holding thecshield membenin its inoperative Rositionwhile the latch holds the slide. memberv in its rearward position. said meansv being automatically releasable; upon movement of the slide mem,-.

ber forwardly .of the visor.

2. An eye shield for usein conjunctionwith. a visor, on a cap .or the like comprising, a body. piece attachedi to the underside: of the. visor, a, slide member on the body piece and slidable forwardly and backwardly relative to-the visor, spring means acting. upon the slide member.v normally urging it forwardly, a shield memberpivotally mounted The latch-restrains the action of the existence of the on the slide member and movable on its pivot so as to extend downwardly from the visor and before the eyes of the wearer in operative position and to an inoperative position in proximity to the underside of the visor and generally parallel therewith, a latch for holding the slide member in its rearward position, and hook means on the shield member arranged to engage the edge of the visor as the slide member is moved rearwardly of the visor to hold ,the shield member in inoperative position, said hook means being automatically releasable upon movement of the slide member forwardly of the visor.

3. An eye shield for use in conjunction with a visor on a cap or the like comprising, a body piece attached to the underside of the visor, a slide member on the body piece and shiftable to and from relative forward and rearward positions on the visor, spring means acting upon the slide member to urge it forwardly, a shield membei'pivotedto the slide member, and movable to extend downwardly from. the visor and 'before; the eyes of the wearer in operative position. and to an inoperative position in proximity to and generallyparallel-with the underside of the visor, spring means acting upon-the shield member normally-urging it into itsrdownward operative position, alatch for holding the slide member in its rearward position against the action of the, first named spring means, and hook means engageable with the visor as the, slide member is urged to its rearward position while the'shield, member is substantially in inoperative pcsition for holding. the shield member in inoperative position, said hook means. being automatically releasable. incident to release of the latch and forward movement of the slide member fonpivotal: movement .of the shield member to operative position by .the secondnamed spring means.;.:..

4. Aneye-shieldfor, usein conjunction with a visorzon cap...or the like comprising, a body.

piecev attached. to the underside of the. visor, a slide member, on the body, piece and shiftable to andfrom relative forward and rearward. positions on the. visor, spring-means; acting upon the slide member.- to urge it forwardly, a shield member pivoted to the slide. member, andmovable to extend downwardly-from the visor and before theieyes of the wearer. in operative. position and to an inoperative position in proximity to and generally parallel with the underside of the visor, spring. meansnacting .upon. the. shield. member normally urging it into its downward operative position, a latch having, an operating finger piece projecting above the visor, andhaving a portion fOl'i engaging the slide. member to hold it in its rearward position, means engageable as the slide. member and shield member are shifted rearwardly of the visor with the shield member sub strip secured to the underside: of the visor and extending in a fore and aft direction-,a slide member mounted on the body strip, spring means acting upon the slide member and normally urging it into a forward position, a latch for holding the slide member in a rearward position, said latch having an operating finger piece projecting above the visor, a shield member, means pivotally mounting the shield member onto the slide member, a second spring means acting upon the shield member and normally urging it into a downward position relative to the visor which is in operative position before the eyes of the wearer, said shield member being pivotal to an inoperative position in proximity to and generally parallel With the underside of the visor, hook means on the shield member which opens rearwardly when the shield member is in inoperative position, said hook means adapted to engage the edge of the visor when the slide member and shield member are shifted rearwardly While the shield member is in substantial inoperative position to hold the shield member in inoper- 20 2,301,050

6 ative position while the latch holds the slide and shield member in rearward position, said hook means automatically disengaging the edge of the visor upon release of the latch and forward movement of the slide member whereby the shield member is automatically shifted to operative position by the second named spring means.

HUMBERTO VACA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,693,505 Fisher Nov. 27, 1928 1,228,341 Maynard May 29, 1917 2,269,322 Serr Jan. 6, 194l2 Kelley Nov. 3, 1942 

